• Authors:
    • Mandal, D. K.
    • Tiwary, P.
    • Venugopalan, M. V.
    • Challa, O.
  • Source: Agropedology
  • Volume: 20
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: The average productivity of cotton, sorghum and soybean in Maharashtra is considerably lower than their potential. There is also a large temporal and spatial variability in their productivity due to the spatial distribution of soils and its interaction with the rainfall pattern. WOFOST model-version 7.1 was validated and used for quantification of yield gaps under different rainfall patterns for cotton, sorghum and soybean on five soil series of Maharashtra. The validation results indicate that the model performed well with RMSE less than 20% and simulated the yields with Model efficiency (ME) values 0.73, 0.88 and 0.89 for cotton, sorghum and soybean, respectively. Between soil series, the variability in the mean simulated yield among years experiencing normal rainfall was higher for cotton (CV=53.9%) than for sorghum (CV=27.6%) or soybean (CY=20.1%) as soil parameters significantly affected the cotton yields. There was significant correlation between simulated yield with soil depth (r=0.91) and extractable soil moisture (r=0.96) for cotton; but not for sorghum and soybean. It is concluded that the WOFOST model could capture the effects of spatial distribution of soil and rainfall pattern on the yields of cotton, sorghum and soybean and can compliment other techniques in suggesting alternative crop options for aberrant rainfall situations.
  • Authors:
    • Chaudhari, P. V.
    • Vaidkar, R. D.
    • Vitonde, A. K.
    • Rangacharya, D. S.
  • Source: Agriculture Update
  • Volume: 5
  • Issue: 3/4
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: This study was conducted in Amravati and Bhatkuli Tahsils of Amravati district and five villages from each tahsil which were adopting sorghum based cropping systems. The data was collected for the year 2008-2009 from 24 cultivators for each system randomly. The ratio return over the investment at cost 'A' were 2.34, 2.58, 2.47, 2.42, 2.64 and at cost 'B', the ratio were 1.64, 1.85, 1.71, 1.68, 1.83 respectively for sole sorghum, sorghum+tur, sorghum+soybean, sorghum+cotton, sorghum+green gram. In case of sorghum+tur, the ratio at cost 'C' showed higher ( i.e. 1.95) and lower in sole sorghum (i.e.1.39). Thus, the study indicated that the sorghum+tur was found to be most profitable cropping system followed by sorghum+cotton cropping system.
  • Authors:
    • Dahatonde, S.
    • Bunde, D.
    • Katkhede, S.
    • Pohare, J.
    • Khambalkar, V.
  • Source: Journal of Agricultural Science
  • Volume: 2
  • Issue: 4
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: The present research work has been carried out at Central Research Station farm of Dr. PDKV, Akola and at Katkheda and Sutala village of the Akola and Bulbhana district respectively. The operations considered were land preparation, sowing, intercultural, harvesting and crop residue management etc. The inputs like human power, bullock power for traditional operation were studied in entire work of the research. Similarly, for the same crops these operations were carried out by the mechanized practice for the exact quantification of the operational energy input. The study reflects the energy use patterns in mechanized and traditional farming and optimized energy efficient cropping system through mechanized farming over traditional farming. The practices evaluated for the crop production which resulted in the high yielding of crop and the crop residues. On the basis of results obtained, it was observed that the traditional operational energy requirement increases from 2680.78 MJ/ha in traditional method to 3130.72 MJ/ha in mechanized method for green gram crop. While, there is decrease in cost of operation from Rs 8407.5/ha in traditional method to Rs 5147.0/ha in mechanized system. Similar trend was observed in cotton, soybean, sorghum and wheat crop. For all the crops seed bed preparation is done by tractors in traditional as well as mechanized method except in mechanized method land smoothening is done by self propelled tiller instead of bullock drawn blade harrow. In most of the crops the farm operations were mechanized with different implements except harvesting operation, due to unavailability of appropriate machine for harvesting of crops except wheat crop. Overall it seen that the application of modern implements and machineries for the crop production over the traditional practices reduces the cost of production which surely impact on the crop production and the net income of the farmers.
  • Authors:
    • Stephenson, D.
    • Miller, D.
    • Williams, B.
  • Source: Louisiana Agriculture
  • Volume: 53
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2010
  • Authors:
    • Fang, M.
    • Witter, J. D.
    • Spongberg, A. L.
    • Wu, C. X.
    • Czajkowski, K. P.
  • Source: Environmental Science & Technology
  • Volume: 44
  • Issue: 16
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: Many pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are commonly found in biosolids and effluents from wastewater treatment plants. Land application of these biosolids and the reclamation of treated wastewater can transfer those PPCPs into the terrestrial and aquatic environments, giving rise to potential accumulation in plants. In this work, a greenhouse experiment was used to study the uptake of three pharmaceuticals (carbamazepine, diphenhydramine, and fluoxetine) and two personal care products (triclosan and triclocarban) by an agriculturally important species, soybean ( Glycine max (L.) Merr.). Two treatments simulating biosolids application and wastewater irrigation were investigated. After growing for 60 and 110 days, plant tissues and soils were analyzed for target compounds. Carbamazepine, triclosan, and triclocarban were found to be concentrated in root tissues and translocated into above ground parts including beans, whereas accumulation and translocation for diphenhydramine and fluoxetine was limited. The uptake of selected compounds differed by treatment, with biosolids application resulting in higher plant concentrations, likely due to higher loading. However, compounds introduced by irrigation appeared to be more available for uptake and translocation. Degradation is the main mechanism for the dissipation of selected compounds in biosolids applied soils, and the presence of soybean plants had no significant effect on sorption. Data from two different harvests suggest that the uptake from soil to root and translocation from root to leaf may be rate limited for triclosan and triclocarban and metabolism may occur within the plant for carbamazepine.
  • Authors:
    • Zhang, L. X.
    • Boahen, S.
  • Source: Agriculture and Biology Journal of North America
  • Volume: 1
  • Issue: 4
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: One of the major problems associated with the early soybean production system (ESPS) in the Midsouth USA is seed shattering of early maturity group (MG) soybean that mature in the midsummer. Information is needed to measure the impact of this problem and to provide proper management strategies. Studies were conducted to investigate the problem of shattering in MG IV soybean, the dominant soybean group in ESPS, in 2006 and 2007. The objectives of this study were to determine the pattern and critical period of seed shattering of MG IV soybeans under various climatic and production conditions in the Mississippi Delta. A total of 56 and 80 MG IV soybean varieties were evaluated in the experiments in 2006 and 2007, respectively. The varieties were all selected from a Mississippi Soybean Variety Trial and the study was carried out at Stoneville, Mississippi. In 2006, only the April planting (April 19) under irrigation was investigated. In 2007, experiments were conducted on both irrigated and non-irrigated fields. On the irrigated tests, both April (April 23) and May (May 15) planting were examined. Results from both years have indicated that most pods of early MG IV soybean varieties can hold seeds relatively well for the first three weeks after maturity (WAM). However, differences were noted starting from the fourth WAM. Non-irrigated soybean shattered faster than irrigated soybean after three weeks. Irrigated soybean held seeds longer than non-irrigated soybean during the fourth week; however, seed shattering became greater after four weeks even in the irrigated study. When comparing early- and late-planted soybean under irrigated conditions, the later maturing pods held seeds better within the same period after maturity (up to 6 weeks or longer). Late-maturing pods tended to held seed better, most likely due to lower temperatures experienced after late September.
  • Authors:
    • Kolka, R.
    • Asbjornsen, H.
    • Helmers, M. J.
    • Zhou, X. B.
    • Tomer, M. D.
  • Source: Journal of Environmental Quality
  • Volume: 39
  • Issue: 6
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: Many croplands planted to perennial grasses under the Conservation Reserve Program are being returned to crop production, and with potential consequences for water quality. The objective of this study was to quantify the impact of grassland-to-cropland conversion on nitrate-nitrogen (NO(3)-N) concentrations in soil and shallow groundwater and to assess the potential for perennial filter strips (PFS) to mitigate increases in NO(3)-N levels. The study, conducted at the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge (NSNWR) in central Iowa, consisted of a balanced incomplete block design with 12 watersheds and four watershed-scale treatments having different proportions and topographic positions of PFS planted in native prairie grasses: 100% rowcrop, 10% PFS (toeslope position), 10% PFS (distributed on toe and as contour strips), and 20% PFS (distributed on toe and as contour strips). All treatments were established in fall 2006 on watersheds that were under bromegrass (Bromus L.) cover for at least 10 yr. Nonperennial areas were maintained under a no-till 2-yr corn (Zea mays L.)- soybean [Glycine max. (L.) Merr.] rotation since spring 2007. Suction lysimeter and shallow groundwater wells located at upslope and toeslope positions were sampled monthly during the growing season to determine NO(3)-N concentration from 2005 to 2008. The results indicated significant increases in NO(3)-N concentration in soil and groundwater following grassland-to-cropland conversion. Nitrate-nitrogen levels in the vadose zone and groundwater under PFS were lower compared with 100% cropland, with the most significant differences occurring at the toeslope position. During the years following conversion, PFS mitigated increases in subsurface nitrate, but long-term monitoring is needed to observe and understand the full response to land-use conversion.
  • Authors:
    • Shi, C. L.
    • Jin, Z. Q.
    • Zhu, D. W.
  • Source: Jiangsu Journal of Agricultural Sciences
  • Volume: 26
  • Issue: 6
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: In order to explore the effects of climate change on the crop production and agricultural vegetation on the carbon sequestration ability in the Northeast China in the future, the CERES models ran under both baseline weather and climate change scenarios, which were based on 3 global climate models (GCMs) of GISS, GFDL and UKMO, were used to evaluate the effects of climate change on productivities, moisture status and carbon sequestration of soybean, maize, spring wheat and rice in the Northeast China. In 2040, the growth duration of maize and rice would be shortened by 27 d and 29 d, respectively, while 13 d and 9 d were shortened by for soybean and spring wheat, respectively. The simulated soybean biomass under rainfed scenario was averagely 50% higher than that under the baseline weather, while 10% and 6% increments were simulated for irrigated rice and rainfed maize, respectively. The simulated biomass of rainfed spring wheat would be vulnerable to the climate change. The carbon sequestration ability of crops in the Northeast China would be enhanced from 3.82 t/hm 2 to 4.39 t/hm 2 by the climate change. The results indicated that the climate in the Northeast China would display a warm-dry tendency, and the warming climate would shorten the growth period of crops. The soybean productivities would increase significantly in scenarios of doubled CO 2, and rice and maize productivities would increase slightly, while spring wheat productivities would be unstable due to its sensibility to the moisture. Currently, compared with other regions, the crop carbon sequestration ability in the Northeast China was relative weak, while the climate change in the future would be beneficial for the improvement of crop productivities and the strengthening of agricultural carbon pool.
  • Authors:
    • Rosolem, C. A.
    • Calonego, J. C.
  • Source: European Journal of Agronomy
  • Volume: 33
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: Compacted subsoil layers result in shallow root systems hindering the absorption of water and nutrients by plants. Disruption of soil compacted layers can be promoted by mechanical and/or biological methods, using plants with strong root systems. The immediate and medium term effects of mechanical chiseling and crop rotations on soybean root growth and yield were evaluated during four years in Brazil. Triticale (X Triticosecale Wittmack) and sunflower (Helianthus annuus L) were grown in the autumn-winter (April-August). In the next spring (September-October/early November), designated plots were chiseled down to 0.25 m or planted to millet (Pennisetum glaucum L), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) and sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.), grown as cover crops, preceding soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill). Chiseling was done only in the first year, and these plots were left fallow during the spring (September-October/early November) for the rest of the experiment. Chiseling resulted in lower soil penetration resistance and higher soybean yields in the first year. However, in the following years soybean root growth in depth was increased under rotation with triticale and pearl millet due to the presence of biopores and a decrease in soil penetration resistance. Soybean yields tended to decrease over the years in plots that were chiseled when compared with plots under crop rotation. Chiseling can be replaced by crop rotations involving species with aggressive root systems in order to alleviate deleterious effects of soil compaction on soybean yields in tropical soils. This effect is gradual, thus crop rotation will be fully effective in remediating soil compaction in a 3- to 4-year term. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
  • Authors:
    • Nobrega, L. H. P.
    • Smanhotto, A.
    • Sampaio, S. C.
    • Caovilla, F. A.
    • Queiroz, M. M. F. de
    • Gomes, B. M.
  • Source: Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agricola e Ambiental
  • Volume: 14
  • Issue: 7
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: In this work the distribution was evaluated "in situ" of phosphorus (P), organic matter (MO), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), cation exchange capacity (CEC), aluminum (Al), sum of bases (S), base saturation (V) and pH of a soil cultivated with soybean and irrigated with swine wastewater in the 0, 25, 50 and 75% levels. The factorial scheme was constituted by the 20, 40 and 60 cm soil depths and four wastewater levels with five repetitions. The results showed that significant difference occurred only for P, K and CEC in the soil profile. However, in all parameters, the 60 cm soil depth showed that the concentrations levels are similar to before the application of treatments.